STAR WARS: Face of Evil
by Ithilin Palandiriel
Summary: Luke and Jediah race against time to prevent the Great Purge form happening again. WARNING: Rape, torture, implied sex. REVIEWS ARE NEEDED TO UPDATE!
1. Chapter 1

Star Wars: Face of Evil  
  
By: Ithilin Palandiriel  
  
Disclaimer: don't own them except Jediah. Just doing this for fun not profit  
  
Rated R for violence, torture, rape and implied sex  
  
Summary: Luke is kidnapped and replaced by an impostor. It's a race against time to find him and stop the Great Purge from happening again.   
  
  
  
CHAPTER 1  
  
Sometime during Return of the Jedi.........  
  
She stood across from her opponent, her stance ready. Her lightsaber raised. The young woman watched her adversary through half-lidded eyes and smiled a little.  
  
The cloaked and hooded warrior began to circle her, trying to throw her off her guard. He, too, had ignited his weapon. However, he held it loosely, almost carelessly, in one hand as he circled the little Jedi. His deep blue-violet eyes watched her intently. His face was sinister in the illumination of his amethyst blade.  
  
The young Jedi relaxed her stance, her white-gold blade pointing toward the floor.  
  
"Any other adversary would have attacked by now," she said, a hint of exasperation coloring her words as he circled her for the fifth time.  
  
Once more he circled her, pacing like a stalking tiger.  
  
Jediah sighed, shut down her weapon, and turned to leave the circle.  
  
Damien Quinn waited a moment longer, then advanced. His apprentice turned, saber raised. She blocked his blow with a careless ease that startled him. Their sabers connected with a pop-hiss. She then threw his weight off her weapon.  
  
"Master," she laughed, "guard your thoughts better. No true enemy would let me read them so easily."  
  
Master Quinn chuckled as he attacked again, coming in high.  
  
Jediah raised her pearlescent blade over her head, hooked his saber, and spun him off.  
  
"Padawan," he said as he shed his sable cloak and brushed a lone strand of silvering jet black hair from his face, "you are much too patient, put more spirit into it."  
  
"Master, Adepts are born that way."  
  
"Humor me, I need the exercise."  
  
Without warning, Jediah advanced, almost dancing, swinging her lightsaber in a   
  
graceful arc. An inner fire lit her sapphire eyes, as she pressed her master into retreat.  
  
He blocked her, blow for blow, as she beat him back. The crack-hum of their lightsabers connecting rang in his ears. He tried to hook her blade and twist it out of her hands, but she spun underneath, impishly kissing him on the nose. Her lightsaber still firmly grasped in her small hands. As she moved, her silvery hair fanned out. The blood-red crystals in her Padawan braid chimed like a thousand tiny bells. Damien cut in close and locked their sabers so that they were standing almost nose to chest. Jediah looked up at him and grinned, her eyes dancing in the glow of their blades. Suddenly, she turned into him and hooked her leg around his knees. Being the smaller of the two, she spun away unscathed as Damien toppled to the wooden floor.  
  
"Stop!"   
  
Jediah stepped back, barely winded.   
  
"The bigger they are, the harder they fall." She taunted as he shut down his lightsaber.   
  
"You are a demon!" Damien exclaimed breathlessly.  
  
"You're the one who said you needed the exercise," she grinned mischievously.  
  
She turned, tossed her lightsaber in the air where it made a slow wide arc. She faced Damien, caught the lighted weapon, spun it twice, and shut it down as she clipped the silver hilt to her belt. Her eyes twinkled as she winked at her master.  
  
Damien shook his head and smiled. She was good, very good. He had taught her well.  
  
He watched her leave the room. She moved with a liquid grace that only came with being an Adept rank Jedi. The power she controlled, so humbly, was immense. Her talent was natural and easily wielded. She made teaching the Jedi Arts seem so easy, unlike his first apprentice who resisted his efforts at every turn. Damien knew that the boy could have become a great Jedi if only he hadn't been so unwilling. However, the boy's stubbornness eventually earned him a new master and his stupidity got him killed. When he was asked to take the girl, he had been reluctant at first until he saw how strong she was. He had been honored that they considered Damien skilled enough to teach a child that powerful. From the moment she had been put in his arms she had been eager to learn. That's not to say that she didn't challenge him, she sometimes had him wondering just who the padawan really was. She was quick and inventive, but she never flaunted it. Even when he praised her creativity, she dismissed it as nothing out of the ordinary. It was just part of who she was. Damien smiled. Spoiled, she definitely was not.  
  
As she walked away, he heard the soft chiming of the crystals that hung from her braid. She had always been a clever apprentice. He knew that now it was time for her to stand on her own.  
  
  
  
"I'm with you too," he said as he descended the stairs and strode toward Leia.   
  
They embraced and gazed at each other a moment, "What is it?" She asked as she pulled away from him. Her concern showed in the tone of her voice.  
  
"Ask me again sometime," he replied softly, almost sadly.   
  
Han came over to them and clapped his friend on the shoulder, "Luke."  
  
"Hi, Han. Chewie." He said wearily. He seemed distant, almost sad, as if he already knew the path that had been set before him.  
  
As the strike team headed toward the hangers, Luke caught sight of her. She seemed so young for such a mission with her snowy blond hair confined in a single thick plait that hung halfway down her back. He knew her father, General Quinn, and knew that she was no stranger to death. She turned toward him as he caught up with the team. Her eyes were the color of the oceans of Mon Calimari, so serene and quiet, as they searched the hanger bay. Her face was youthful and wise, but beautiful. A slight smile crossed her petal soft lips as she glanced his direction. He smiled back.  
  
"Ashyia," came a gentle voice behind him.  
  
"Father," she answered and ran into his waiting arms.  
  
He held her to him, almost as if he knew he would never see her again.  
  
"You thought I would leave without saying goodbye, did you?" She chided him gently. Her thick Rijellian accent colored her words slightly.  
  
Damien held her away from him and looked down into her shining eyes. "No, my Padawan," he said. His kind eyes held a sadness as he took the small braid that hung over her right shoulder in his hands, "I know better. You will wear this forever?"  
  
"As a tribute to you, my master." She smiled and took his hands in her own. They were the hands that had cared for her and taught her. They were callused from years of sword work, they were strong and loving as they caressed her cheeks, wiping away the tears she hadn't known had come.  
  
"For you, Demon," he said as he produced a small box seemingly out of thin air.  
  
She opened the box and began to tremble when she viewed the contents. The hilt of a lightsaber that she knew was his, a thin plait of blue black hair; his Padawan braid, and a strand of deep blue sapphire crystals that he removed and hung in her braid.  
  
"May the Force always guide your footsteps, Jediah. You have danced to it's song long enough to know why I give these things to you."  
  
She bowed her head, "I will keep them safe until this is over, Master," unwilling to accept that his fate was already determined.  
  
Luke was unsure as to why he was allowed to witness this exchange between parent and child, or was it master and apprentice? Why, also, did he change her name from Ashyia to Jediah? He determined to find out after the coming battle. For now there were more pressing matters at hand. At that he turned and entered the stolen shuttle, leaving them to their good-byes.  
  
She hugged him once more, then turned away and with her head held high she strode up the gantry. She was determined not to let the tears come. As she stowed her gear and the box of her master's possessions, she fought off a wave of heart sickness that threatened a cascade of tears. Opening the box one last time, she reverently touched the silvery hilt, knowing in her heart that it would never be raised to challenge her and hone her skills again. She sighed heavily as she removed the crystals from her braid and laid them beside Damien's lightsaber.  
  
She stood at the gantry as it closed gazing at the man she called father. Her vivid blue eyes were mournful, the fire in them extinguished.  
  
:Goodbye, young K'tala,: Damien's voice came in her mind. :Mind all you've been taught. I will never be far from your heart.:  
  
His eyes glistened with tears he feared to shed in front of her, as he watched the Imperial Shuttle lift from the bay floor and head out into the vastness of space. Once it had disappeared, Damien squared his broad shoulders and drew himself up to his full height of two meters as he walked to the shuttle that would take him to his command ship.   
  
  
  
The battle raging on the surface of Endor was as fierce as the one above. Rebels, Ewoks and Stormtroopers littered the forest floor, all fighting valiantly to the end.  
  
Just when the Rebels thought they had lost, the little Ewoks surprised them as they rained their primitive weapons down on the Imperials. All hell broke loose as the strike team grabbed up their blasters and joined in the fight.  
  
Jediah took down her fair share of stormtroopers as she chased them through the woods. She stretched her Force senses under her heavy shielding, hoping that the Emperor would be too intent on Skywalker to notice any minor disturbance she might cause. She paused to take aim at an officer that was trying to take out a trio of Ewoks, when she Saw a stormtrooper behind her take aim and fire. Unfortunately, she reacted a second too late and ended up deflecting the bolt right into her ankle. She cursed herself vehemently as she brought down both Imperials in rapid succession.   
  
Jediah was down trying to stem the blood flow in her right ankle when she felt it. Like an explosion in her mind and heart, the brightness that was Damien Quinn was gone. Pain and rage surged through her as she yanked her lightsaber from the hidden pocket in her poncho.  
  
"NO!!!!" She howled as she cut down the Stormtroopers in her path. "Bastards! Murdering bastards!"  
  
Her blue eyes were no longer sane. The pain in her mind and heart overrode the pain from her injured ankle and her training. She became the demon from the nightmares that frightened her when she was small. Like a mad wounded beast, she chased the Imperials through the forest, screaming like a banshee. She stalked them, the hum of her lightsaber their only warning before she took them out.  
  
Suddenly she looked up at the sky and the Death Star burst like an overfilled balloon. The battle was over. In pain she collapsed where she stood, her lightsaber extinguishing as it dropped to the forest floor. She lay there numb and unthinking until a medical crew stumbled across her as they searched for survivors. After they bandaged her ankle, she wandered dazed back to the Ewok village, clutching the hilt of her lightsaber.  
  
  
  
Fireworks lit up the night sky. They had won. The Empire was no more. Everyone was celebrating, greeting friends who were returning from the battle in space. He came through the low door and caught Leia up in an embrace. Han, Chewie and Lando greeted him each in turn. His eyes were shining but haunted. He had saved his father only to lose him in the end. He had lost so much, so many friends, in the last four years. His heart hurt. He was alone.  
  
Later, after the celebration had died down some and most had gone to find a place to sleep, Luke sat alone on one of the plank bridges between the little tree houses. Trying to sort through his thoughts, a memory came to him unbidden. The young woman he had seen in the hanger just the morning before. Then, like the call of a mourning dove, he heard someone sobbing softly in the darkness behind him.   
  
When he located the source, he was mildly surprised to see that it was General   
  
Quinn's daughter. He was even more surprised when a wave of confused pain violently washed over him.  
  
"Ashyia, isn't it? Or is it Jediah?"  
  
"Jediah," came the muffled reply.  
  
Luke knelt down beside her and lifted her head up. In her eyes, he saw pain, anguish, and self loathing.  
  
"What happened to you?" He asked, shocked by what he had seen.  
  
She tried to turn away but he held her firm. In his eyes, she saw true concern.  
  
"I . . . .I . . . I snapped." She stammered softly, "My Master, he was on the Liberty. One of the star cruisers that was . . . ."  
  
It was as if the dam had given way, the tears came. Her whole body shook with the force of her sobs. Luke gently pulled her to him, letting her bury her face in his chest as he eased himself to a sitting position against a tree trunk. She curled into his embrace as she cried like a lost child. He stroked her tangled blood-streaked hair tenderly, brushing it gently away from her face.  
  
"When you're ready, we can talk." He whispered, "For now, you only need to know that you aren't alone."  
  
He held her tightly and projected an aura of calm to soothe her tortured mind. He was grateful for the darkness that surrounded them, hiding them from curious eyes. The celebration had just ended and all was silent except for the night noises of the forest and Jediah's muffled sobs.  
  
Slowly, she began to relax. The arms that held her tightly she found comforting. Finally her breathing slowed and the tears lessened, but the terrible ache in her heart was still there. As she huddled closer into the embrace, she gave herself up to the peace and darkness of blessed unconsciousness. There were no dreams or visions there, only a soft supporting darkness that cradled her and soothed her.   
  
Luke felt her sag wearily against him, sighing heavily. He laid his gloved hand on her tangled mane of snowy hair, pulling her closer. After a feather light mental touch, he convinced himself that she would be asleep for a time, so he closed his eyes and dozed.  
  
The early morning mist surrounded the sleeping pair, pale gray and soft. No sounds came through the slumbering forest. All was silent in those hours just before dawn.  
  
She gradually became aware of fabric next to her cheek and the warmth of someone's breath against the crown of her head. She felt the slow rise and fall of his chest as he slept. Slowly, Jediah opened her eyes. She could see the mist as it swirled around them, but nothing beyond it. It was as though time had stopped and the rest of the galaxy didn't exist. She heard no birdcalls or other sounds from the Endor forest. The forest was still.  
  
Luke stirred as she stretched, coming completely awake in a matter of seconds.  
  
"Feel better?" He asked softly as he let his arms relax.  
  
"A little."  
  
He let her take her time. She would talk on her terms, not his.  
  
"Forgive me for my behavior last night," she said after a time. "I've never felt so lost."  
  
"There is nothing to forgive, Jediah." He smiled. "Do you want to talk?"  
  
Jediah nodded then turned to face him. Looking into his eyes, she cautiously reached out through the Force and tested him. She sensed mild surprise from him as she Touched his spirit form. Then it was her turn to be surprised as he held out a mental hand to her.  
  
:Jedi?: She queried his spirit.  
  
Luke's form smiled and nodded. "I was under the impression that I was the last."  
  
:Fortunately, you are not. Last to be trained, maybe, but not the last,: She said as she inspected his shielding. :You are strong, Commander Skywalker. Your shields   
  
combined with mine should be enough to hide our thoughts. There is much you need to   
  
know.:  
  
Her aura became a brilliant white-gold, her eyes the color of the Kaiburr Crystal and pulsed in time with her heartbeat. A laughing golden wind came, swirling playfully   
  
around her spirit form.  
  
Luke beheld her in awe. Never had he witnessed or felt such enormous power, nor such completeness in the Force. For a moment, he just gazed at her, feeling the raw controlled energy wash over him.  
  
As quickly as it had come, the zephyr left and her spirit faded back to the natural blue. She smiled at the look of wonder on his face as she broke the mental connection.  
  
"Will I always have that effect on you?" she chuckled  
  
"I never imagined one person could contain that amount of power." He said in disbelief. "What happened?"  
  
Jediah closed her eyes and fought off a wave of tears that threatened to fall. She still hadn't pieced together why her control over the Force had disintegrated. She had always known that someday her master would leave her, but apparently she wasn't fully prepared for the extreme violent force of it.  
  
"I lost my master," she answered softly, fighting the words past the painful lump in her throat, "he was on the Liberty when it blew. I felt him die, Commander. I lost my control and my sanity. I snapped."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"You've never loved anyone that much, have you?" a sad smile crossed her face, "Damien Quinn was more to me than a father, a teacher, or a friend, he was home to me. We shared a special bond. When he was murdered, it was severed violently, and I guess that I wasn't really prepared to cope with that."  
  
"But he knew. The box . . ." he began.  
  
"You saw that?" She asked.  
  
Luke nodded but said nothing.   
  
"I guess I tried to deny it."  
  
Luke reached up and wiped a lone tear from her cheek. She seemed so vulnerable,   
  
so in need of someone to care for her. Yet underneath all of that shielding, was a woman whose strength in the Force far surpassed his. She had lost control, yes, but he knew   
  
that it would never happen again.  
  
"Thank you, Commander. I'm glad that I didn't have to be alone."  
  
"Please call me Luke."  
  
Jediah kissed him lightly on the cheek, "Then, to you only, am I Jediah."  
  
She was only inches away from his face. He could feel her soft warm breath against his cheek. Hesitantly, his lips brushed hers. When she didn't pull away, he kissed her again, fuller this time. She responded by gently pulling him back into the link. He shivered slightly as her energy coursed through him. Their minds became as one, as power surged between them.  
  
:I am the child of the Force.: Her mind echoed in his, :I am K'tala.:  
  
Luke felt the Force all around him. He closed his eyes, as if he basked in warm sunlight. The power was immense, almost overwhelming. A small half smile played at the corners of his mouth as the power of the Force washed over him.   
  
Jediah pulled away from him, her eyes shining. "Tell no one that I am a Jedi, Luke, for your safety as well as mine."  
  
"I understand," he answered breathlessly. :I am your servant, my lady.:  
  
"You're hurt, Luke." She said as he winced a little. Her voice came like a soft wind chime. Her soft blue eyes full of concern.  
  
Luke glanced up at her as she uncurled herself from his lap and stood in front of him. He smiled painfully.  
  
"It's nothing," he said breathlessly as another wave of searing pain hit him.  
  
"That's exactly what Master Damien use to say after failing to deflect a blaster bolt." She smiled as she reached out and touched his arm.  
  
Luke felt something, like a gentle warm mist cushion him from the pain. Straightening, he gave her a curious look.  
  
"Let's get you to the medics," she said simply, helping him up.  
  
(Fifteen years later. . . )  
  
Jediah sighed heavily, reluctantly pushing away the memory. Those days were   
  
gone. Secretly, they had married on Rijel after Luke returned from Bakura. They both knew that if it was made known, their future children could be put at great risk. Together they worked to help build the New Republic. Because of this, the fledgling republic flourished and grew into the benevolent government they now enjoyed. She and Luke also spent those first years tracking down possible Jedi and those of Jedi ancestry. Unfortunately, it was now under attack. So, too, were the Jedi.   
  
In the darkness and chill of pre-dawn, Jediah crept from the warmth of her lonely bed. As she dressed, she glanced back at the small sleeping pallet. If Luke were here he would have been still sound asleep. She chuckled to herself and shook her head at the thought. She knew her husband too well sometimes. As she left her chambers, she twisted her long snowy mane into a tight knot a the base of her neck. Quietly, she made her way to the top of the Great Massassi Temple. Something was seriously wrong. She had felt a disturbance in the Force. She knew it involved Luke in some way, but she could not divine exactly what it was.  
  
As she reached the top, she pulled her cloak tighter around herself. Jediah opened herself to the Force and Jumped. 


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2  
  
Luke leaned against the terrace railing of his quarters in the Presidential Palace. His arms were folded across his chest and his eyes were closed. His breathing was relaxed and deep as if he was asleep.  
  
"Hay, Kid," Han said as he came up and clapped his friend on the shoulder.  
  
Luke jumped. "Ever hear of knocking?" He hissed irritably.  
  
Han grinned impishly. "Mara chase you around the room last night?"  
  
Luke shot a warning glare at Han, but kept silent. He turned and limped into the common room.  
  
"Come on, Luke." Han said, following him. "I'm kidding. I know you were alone last night."  
  
"Don't remind me." Luke growled testily.  
  
"Where'd you get the limp?"  
  
"Sparring with Mara."  
  
Coruscant's sun dripped slowly toward the western horizon, sending golden rays feathering out into the star-studded night sky. Both men kept silent as the light slowly faded.  
  
A soft glow came from the light appearing all over the Imperial City. Luke stood at the window, watching the traffic speed to and fro, lost in thought. He knew exhaustion was beginning to set in and he was acting like a spoiled child because of it. He wished Jediah were here. Just her presence was soothing. She never had to do anything, maybe it was what came from being what she was, but he was always grateful for it. He felt uneasy. He wanted his wife and wanted everyone else to leave him alone. He knew that wasn't likely to happen while he lived.   
  
"Mara didn't mention anything about that." Han said, breaking the silence and startling Luke out of his reverie.   
  
"It's only a minor burn." Luke sagged into an overstuffed chair wearily.  
  
"You look exhausted, Kid." Han commented, "If you keep this up your   
  
apprentices won't have a master left. You need to get some rest."  
  
"Yah?! Try telling that to Leia." Luke sighed, "Though I doubt she will listen to you any better than she does me."  
  
Luke was relieved to see Han heading for the door.  
  
"The kids are excited about having you here for a while, you know."  
  
"Yah?" Luke gazed absently out the window.  
  
"What's wrong, Luke. This isn't like you."  
  
Luke turned back to his friend. "Just tired, I guess."  
  
"Well try to get some rest. Don't worry I'll talk to Leia about giving you some time off for good behavior."  
  
"Thanks," he answered, shifting his gaze back to the window.  
  
Night had spread her diamond studded cloak over the Imperial City. Speeders and other transports whizzed past the window. Below, in the business district, lights glared and blinked advertising Coruscant's night life and other entertainment.   
  
Luke walked back out onto the terrace, still favoring his left leg. As he leaned against the railing again, a cool breeze toyed with his sandy blond hair. He had let it get too long again and Jediah would love it. She always braided her bell crystals into his hair when they were alone. He missed her. He hated being away form her and the kids for too long. Not being able to get back to them on Yavin without someone knowing where he was, made him feel like a puppet. As he listened to the hum of the city, he heard the door open behind him.  
  
"Luke?"  
  
"Out here." He called trying not to growl as he watched the lighted parade speed past.  
  
Mara slipped her arms around his slender waist. "I thought we were going out tonight, Luke?" She asked as she kissed the back of his neck playfully.  
  
"I had thought about it," he answered fighting down the urge to push her away.   
  
She really knew how to annoy him. Jediah never did this. Not that she didn't play with him but it was different. It was the gentle ministrations of a loving wife, not Mara's clumsy attempts at finding out what pleased him. Irritated, he removed her arms from his waist.  
  
Mara turned him to face her. "What is going on?" She demanded, "First you get all lovey dovey, now you're practically pushing me away."   
  
Luke pushed past her and went back inside. He couldn't do this anymore. All he ever wanted was a home, a wife, and children. Now that he had those things, being one of the most powerful Jedi in the galaxy kept him from acknowledging what he held most dear. What he feared most was them being used against him or harmed in any way. Luke sighed in frustration.  
  
"You've got to talk to me."  
  
His eyebrows disappeared under his hair. "My own council will I keep, Mara." He snapped at her.  
  
"Look, I'm practically your fiancee. What's going on?"  
  
Luke rounded on her, "Who told you that?!" He could feel the anger rising again, however he managed to wrestle back under control. "If you thought I meant those things. . ."  
  
"You're tired, Luke."  
  
"Yes, I am. I'm exhausted but no one seems to give a damn. Why is it that people   
  
choose to believe that I'm indestructible."  
  
Mara opened her mouth to say something, but Luke cut her off.  
  
"NO! I realize that I am acting like a spoiled child. But I don't like having to disappear to some god forsaken hell hole in hopes that no one will find me and I can finally get some well deserved rest!"  
  
"Don't you love me?"  
  
Luke glared at her, eventhough he could hear the hurt in her soft alto voice.  
  
Grabbing his cloak from beside the door, he stalked out.  
  
"Are you coming?" He called over his shoulder.  
  
"Are you going to be a jerk?"  
  
"Only if you continue to try to get me to marry you." He hissed.  
  
"Then, no, I'm not." With that she swept past him; down the corridor.  
  
Luke sighed with relief. Although he cared a great deal for Mara, he just could not imagine being married to her. He could barely stand to be with her for an entire mission. She was always rubbing him the wrong way.  
  
"My life is way too complicated." He breathed softly to himself as he descended into the streets of the Imperial City.  
  
"I whole-heartedly agree, I'Sha. I wish it didn't have to be this way, either." She fell into step beside him. Her jet black cloak made her tiny form nearly invisible next to him. "However, you still need to pretend to pay court to Mara, Luke."  
  
"I know I'Die. I know."   
  
It took every ounce of control he had not to reach out to her. Every fiber of his being cried out, even after fifteen years of schooling his thoughts and actions around her in public.  
  
"You were being a bit of a jerk, you know."   
  
Her voice still held traces of her thick Rijellian accent that Luke secretly hoped would never be lost. He noticed it more when she was admonishing him or the kids about something. They rarely argued, only because he could never stay angry enough at her. Especially when her accent and native tongue got mixed up with Galactic Standard. He had never laughed so hard in his life. However, she had taken after him with her lightsaber for that. It still made him chuckle. Luke couldn't help smiling down at her as she kept pace with him. This was the only woman he would ever love.  
  
"She's not giving me much choice, I'Die. Yet she's just going to write it off as irritability from total exhaustion."  
  
"True. You still need to be careful, though, or someone will think you have a girl   
  
hidden on Yavin or something.   
  
Luke chuckled. "I'm glad you're here," he whispered.   
  
He was in agony. Having her this close and not be able to reach out and touch her. He needed her as much as he needed air to breath or food to eat.  
  
As they passed an alley way, Luke ducked into its sheltering darkness; pulling her with him. Panting slightly and shaking, from both excitement and fear, he pinned her to the wall. He knew full well that Jediah could and would throw him to the end of the alley if she thought he was being too reckless.  
  
Not only did she not push him away, she actually took the initiative. She grabbed him behind the neck and pulled him into a desperate, hungry kiss. Surprised slightly, he fumbled a link to her and felt the full force of her power surge into him. Quickly he broke the connection.  
  
"Sorry." She chuckled breathlessly, as Luke rested his hands on his thighs.  
  
"You're going to be the death of me someday, woman!" He laughed back at her. He knew that she hadn't meant to hit him with such a power surge. This only happened when his own resources were severely depleted.  
  
He felt her slender callused hands caress his shoulders then trace the line of his spine. He shivered involuntarily.   
  
"Are you all right, Luke?" She asked, squatting down so he could see her face. "You don't normally fumble like that."  
  
"No, love," he groaned. He straightened, pulling her up with him. "My reserves are completely gone. Not to mention wanting and needing you."  
  
Jediah laughed. "We will take care of both when we reach the temple."  
  
She wrapped her arms around his waist; laying her head against his shoulder, just under his chin. "Gods, I've missed you, Luke."  
  
"I don't like leaving you or the kids, 'Diah." He said, kissing her forehead, "I know it has to be this way, but I still don't like it."  
  
Jediah kissed the line of his jaw as she toyed with his shirt buttons.  
  
"Stop that, I'Die." Chuckling softly as he stilled her oh so curious fingers.   
  
"When I'm dead, Ch'Karah," she countered as he pinned her hands gently against the wall again.  
  
"I love you." He whispered, kissing her petal soft lips.  
  
Jediah managed to free one of her hands to pull him closer. This time the link between them flared slightly then settled. Luke felt her soothing presence more clearly. All of his injuries healed and his power reservoirs were replenished as she passed.  
  
Luke noticed that the link stayed in place even after he let her go.  
  
:I need it in place for now, Luke.: She sent, squeezing his hand, :I'm going to channel as much raw power through you as you can handle, between now and the time we reach the Jedi Temple.:  
  
:Why?:  
  
:I'm putting part of the binding ritual in place tonight.:  
  
Luke nodded. She had taken him through the rite several months ago. With this first section in place, he would have access to Jediah's inexhaustible power source. It would also provide a way for her to identify him if something happened. He knew she had her reasons for doing this now. He also knew it came with a price, usually in blood. Life with a K'tala never came without a price, though Jediah always made sure that it was never too much. She had a way of gauging his limits. That was why he trusted her.  
  
He turned toward the busy street as Jediah squeezed his hand, then gazed down at her. Beneath the hood of her ebony cloak, Jediah's eyes glowed a faint luminescent gold in the half light of the alley. Raw power surged along the bond now, making Luke a little light headed.  
  
:I'm sorry that I didn't give you fair warning, Luke. : Her mind whispered as she steadied him.  
  
:It needs to be done.: He swayed a little as another power flux hit him, "I'll be all right, I'Die."  
  
:I've got you, Luke. Let's get going or we'll miss the moon.:  
  
Luke nodded as they stepped out into the lighted boulevard.  
  
They moved silently through Coruscant's bustling avenues, stopping only long enough for Luke to catch his breath, once or twice. The noise of the business district assaulted him from all sides, making it difficult to cope with the onslaught of raw Force  
  
power.  
  
Jediah hovered protectively at his elbow, ready to steady him, if the need arose.  
  
"I need to sit, I'Die," he moaned quietly. "Just until this wave passes."  
  
"The temple steps are just ahead, you'll be able to rest there." She slipped her arm around his waist to support him. As she did so, she dampened the flow of the Force just enough that Luke wouldn't pass out on her.  
  
The Jedi Temple rose before them. Four ancient haunting spires guarded the four cardinal compass points of an archaic yet still imposing edifice. Out of the center of the massive structure another spire rose majestically, taller than the other four.   
  
Luke sat gracelessly on the bottom step, exhaustion overwhelming him. He was shaking and drenched with perspiration.   
  
"I think I'm going to be sick, 'Diah." He rested his head against his knees, willing his stomach to stop churning.  
  
Jediah sat down beside him, pulling him gently so that his head lay in her lap. He remembered watching her do this for Obi and Kneesaa when they were ill. They always rested easier after she had been there. Maybe it was just a mother's touch, but he felt a comforting sensation move through him along the bond.  
  
"Just rest here until your stomach settles, Ch'Karah." She said, gently stroking his head and back. In doing so, Luke's stomach stopped threatening mutiny.  
  
"I've never heard you use that term before," he asked quietly, "what does it mean?"  
  
Jediah smiled. "It's actually the language of the K'tala. A tongue about as dead as the Jedi the once taught here. It means 'My other self' or 'soul-mate'. Slightly more possessive than its Rijellian counterparts."  
  
Luke sat up and gazed at the quiet, loving woman sitting next to him. He pushed   
  
back the hood of her cloak. With a flick of his wrist, her snow-white mane came loose from the tight knot at the base of the graceful neck. It fell free, cascading over her slender shoulders like a fall of captured moonlight. The blood-red bell crystals that hung in her Adept braid winked and chimed softly. As he smoothed her hair, he felt a lone tear slide down his cheek. Jediah reached up and gently wiped it away, transferring the precious tear to the exposed petal soft skin over her heart.  
  
Luke leaned over and kissed her gently, a long-time lover's kiss. One that is meant for one's spouse. It's neither needy nor hungry. It just is. He knew now, if he hadn't before, just why it was he loved this tiny woman with every fiber of his being. She had a quiet strength and loving presence that eventhough she could not physically stand beside him, he always knew she was there. She had a wisdom that rivaled Master Yoda's. That was why he loved and trusted her. He also trusted her instincts before he trusted his own.  
  
"Do you feel steady enough to press on?"  
  
"How much farther?"   
  
"Up there." She pointed to the center spire.  
  
Luke groaned softly, "Stairs or lift?"  
  
"There's a lift. Unless you really want to take the stairs." She grinned mischievously.  
  
"The lift, please." Luke sighed wearily.   
  
As she helped him up, she replaced her hood. She could feel his exhaustion. If it wasn't so urgent that this be done, she would have given him more time. As it was, Luke was going to be very ill in the morning.  
  
"I'm sorry." She said, kissing his forehead. As he laid a gently well callused hand against her cheek, she felt reassurance and unwavering love surge along the bond.  
  
"Let's go," he said softly. "The moon won't wait forever."  
  
Together they climbed the temple steps, pausing long enough to open the heavy   
  
carved doors of the ancient building and slip through. Silently, reverently, they moved   
  
through long abandoned corridors toward the lift. Once inside, they were whisked up the shaft. Finally the lift stopped and opened on a dusty, but still ornate hallway.  
  
Jediah strode swiftly and silently toward some stairs that were coated with a thick layer of dust. She passed the long unused grand council chamber. Twelve chairs waited in the semi-darkness for their occupants return.  
  
Luke moaned softly behind her.  
  
"Just a little farther, Luke. These lead to the Shrine of Wisdom."  
  
"It's just that I'm so tired, 'Diah." Luke inched painfully along, using the wall for support.  
  
Coming up beside him, she steadied him. "Come," She whispered, "I'll help you."  
  
Using her as a kind of human crutch, they slowly climbed the two flights of stairs. By the time they reached the top, Luke's breathing was ragged and pained.  
  
"Rest here." She whispered as she helped him sit on the top most step. "The door is right here. I'll open it, then come back and help you."  
  
Luke's smile was weak. She worried. She wished, to the gods of her people, that she had more to go on than a vague unease and a sense of urgency. The raw Force power she was feeding Luke, she knew, was burning new channels but it also made him very weak. All she could do was hope that he would survive this. If he did, he would be the most powerful Jedi in the galaxy, next to her.  
  
Jediah shivered a little under her dark cloak as she approached the door. Moonlight bathed the delicately inlaid wood in an eerie iridescent light. When she touched it, the pearlescent inlay began to glow faintly. Slowly the ancient door creaked open on rusted hinges.  
  
Luke gasped behind her. Turning to help him up, she saw the look of wonder on his face.  
  
"Damn, more stairs." He hissed painfully.  
  
"Only four that I see. Seven at most."  
  
Luke's face was set with grim determination as he clung to the wall and started up   
  
the steps.  
  
They emerged through a sanded wood floor of a tower room, all sides open to the elements. Jediah stepped out onto the weather worn floor, her soft footfalls echoing eerily through the tower room. Luke followed her without hesitation. She stopped just outside a circle of sliver runes inlaid in the timber floor and turned to Luke.  
  
He knew that look on her face. "Don't coddle me, Jediah. I have walked this path with you for fifteen years, I don't intend to stop now just because of a little fatigue." He held up his left hand. The silver ring on his index finger glinted brightly in the soft light. "I married you, all those years ago, knowing full well that there would be prices to pay because of what you are. I'm not turning back on those promises now."  
  
Luke took her left hand in his and tenderly kissed the identical ring that encircled her index finger. "Someday, my love, someday you will stand beside me, rather than behind me."   
  
A fierce determination lit his dark blue eyes as they stepped as one inside the circle, facing east. Jediah knelt down at the circle's center, her ebony cloak falling from her bare shoulders in a whisper of fabric against flesh. Instead of her usual stark black attire, she wore a well fitted sleeveless shirtwaist and pants made of heavy moonlight colored shimmersilk. The slender silver hilt of her lightsaber at her slim waist glinted in the starlight. Next to it hung a small dagger, no bigger than the palm of her hand. The fiery red FireFox jewels in the hilt and quillions burned eerily in the darkness.  
  
Luke watched her in breathless wonder. She appeared to glow from within. Her entire countenance changed. As the moon rose in the eastern most arch, her face shone with an unearthly beauty. Bathed in its celestial radiance, raw yet controlled power swirled about her. Her soft blue eye now blazed a fiery crimson-gold. A gentle breeze stirred her snowy hair. The bell crystals that hung in her Adept braid chimed softly as though the sound came from a great distance.  
  
He could smell the damp forest of Yavin on her, mingled with the natural spicy   
  
scent that came from Rigel. That was something that never left her, something he used   
  
to identify her.  
  
Without a second thought, Luke removed his own cloak and knelt at her side and drew the FireFox dagger from its sheath on her belt. The tempered silver of the blade   
  
glistened as he held it out to her hilt first.  
  
Jediah unbuttoned his left sleeve, rolling it up past his elbow. Grasping his wrist, she swallowed hard as she tried to push her worry to the back of her mind. It had no place here.   
  
She gazed into his calm blue eyes as she took the dagger from him.  
  
:I worry about you,: she sent.  
  
Luke smiled at her reassuringly, :I know you do.:  
  
He laid his hand over hers, his steady gaze giving her more confidence. She heard him gasp as the sharp cold blade penetrated the flesh of his forearm. Surprise flashed across his eyes, but the fierce determination that burned in them never wavered. She held his gaze a moment longer, then bent over her task.  
  
This was not quick work. Each rune had to be incised with exacting precision. Each of them had to be just deep enough to draw a fair amount of blood so the Morphore blend could take hold. If she went too deep, he could bleed to death. With each rune she made, she chanted their meanings softly.  
  
"Humbly we Sacrifice with Honor," her soft soprano voice echoed through the chamber. "Ever seeking Truth and offering Compassion to those in need. We council with Wisdom, in Faith, in Hope, and in Love." Luke's deep tenor joined hers. Both voices reverberated through the room.  
  
As she inscribed the last symbol, she put just enough pressure in his biceps to slow the bleeding. Laying the dagger aside, she extracted two vials from a pocket in her cloak. One was a liquid Morphore/Fireore mix. The other was pure liquid Fireore. As she laid both vials in his hand, he gave her a questioning look.  
  
:The Morphsilver is for you. It makes the runes invisible, until I trigger the set-spell.:  
  
Luke nodded, swaying slightly. The metallic scent of blood was strong. Quickly she opened vial of Morphore. Luke hissed in pain as she poured the searing liquid into the open wounds. However the scent was not that of burning flesh, but of the fresh sweet air of the Silverfire mountains on Rigel. He closed his eyes against pain, trying to remember the order of the runes and their meanings. He knew he would have to repeat the ritual for her. Soon he felt a soft cloth being pulled tight around his wrist. Opening his eyes, he saw Jediah wrapping a piece of gossamer shimmersilk around his forearm. Beneath the wispy fabric, the angry red symbols slowly faded to the color of his skin.   
  
As she tied it off, he picked up the tiny dagger. Gently he grasped her left wrist and lightly pinned her and against his thigh. She made no sound or movement as the cold silver blade pierced the soft skin of her forearm. Her breathing was slow and even as he etched each rune precisely in her silky flesh. He was surprised at how little blood there seemed to be.   
  
By the time he finished, he was shaking from total exhaustion. Before he picked up the vial of Fireore, he unfastened the buttons of his shirt. Carefully, he dipped his fingers into the blood that was pooling on the runes that he had just finished. Looking her straight in the eye, he touched the still warm sanguine liquid to the tanned skin over his heart.  
  
"You are my life's blood, Jediah." His voice shook with emotion.   
  
He noticed that surprise flashed across her crimson colored eyes. Yet she said nothing. Then, she dipped her slender fingers in to his blood that had collected in the depression in the floor and repeated the gesture.  
  
"As you are mine." She whispered, returning his steady gaze.  
  
Luke picked up the vial and let the Fireore flow over the incised symbols, its sweet scent engulfing him a second time. For a moment they shone brightly. It was almost as if sunlight radiated from them. The light flared then dispersed, leaving the runes a burnished ruby streaked silver. He took the second strip of shimmersilk and wrapped her forearm.  
  
Jediah reached out to him, being careful not to disturb the small pool of blood in the center of the circle. Gently, Luke took her hand and pulled her into his embrace. He kissed her tenderly and passionately. As his hands stroked her silvery hair, the blood-red bell crystals chimed softly. He needed her. As he lay back on his cloak, she rested in the crook of his arm, caressing him lovingly. Luke sighed contentedly as her lips touched the smudge of blood over his heart. His exhaustion completely forgotten for the moment. He held her tightly, silently willing the lump in his throat to disappear.   
  
"Gods, Jediah," he whispered as he kissed her, "I need you more than anything else in my life."  
  
"Shhhh." She chided gently, "Speak to me without words."  
  
That was all the encouragement he needed. For a long time, the only thing that filled his senses was his beautiful and powerful Jediah. 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
  
Mara heard the door chime. It was Luke. He appeared to be in a more contrite mood than when she stormed out on him two hours ago.  
  
"Are you going to be a jerk some more?" She said acidly as she let him in.  
  
"I'm sorry, Mara. It's just that everyone is always wanting something. Right now I'm so tired that I can't see straight."  
  
Mara eyed him pointedly. She was still seething from his outburst earlier. She knew how tired he was. She was just as tired, but she still wanted to make him pay. Why couldn't he let her be mad at him for a little while? He was so damned infuriating sometimes.  
  
She sighed, "Come here. Let me see what I can do for you."  
  
"Will you forgive me?"  
  
"Maybe. Maybe not."  
  
Luke lay face down on her overstuffed couch. She straddled his waist and began messaging his back. Luke groaned gratefully.  
  
"I could fall asleep right here."  
  
"But you won't, will you."  
  
He chuckled softly, "For fear of your terrible wrath? No, I won't."  
  
Mara reached up cuffed him playfully on the back of his head. He reached back and grabbed her hand.  
  
"You're going to wish that you hadn't done that."   
  
He turned over, dumping her unceremoniously on the floor. A mischievous sparkle lit his blue eyes, as he pinned her down. He kissed her roughly as she tried to push him off.   
  
"Stop it!" She laughed  
  
"Not until you forgive me for being a beast." He kissed her again as she continued to struggle.  
  
"Why should I?"  
  
"Because if you don't, I'll lend some truth to the rumors you've heard about me."  
  
Mara smiled hungrily. "No. I don't think I will."  
  
Luke picked her up and carried her into the bed chamber. As he dropped he on the bed, she pulled him down on top of her. Whatever he had done in the last two hours, he had at least cut his hair and was in a better mood. Something vague, though, tugged at the back of her mind. She would think about it later. Luke was here and ready to play. Maybe tonight would prove enlightening. She responded to his hungry kisses, arching into them and moaning softly. She gasped as his callused hands found a particularly sensitive spot and heard him chuckle throatily. She wanted this to continue, eventhough he made her angry. Right now she would forgive him anything.  
  
Finally, they fell into an exhausted but sated sleep as the cloud hidden sun began to rise over the Imperial City.   
  
As Mara fell asleep in his arms, he smiled slyly. No one would ever discover who he really was. The memory implants were too precise. That and they could never be traced even if they were discovered. His features had been altered, so he looked exactly like Luke Skywalker. He would show the real Master Skywalker what true power really was. With Mara by his side there wasn't any thing he couldn't do. He had heard that Mara was just as powerful as Luke. He would rule the galaxy, once he had defeated Master Dark.   
  
Lightning flashed outside the window. Rain lashed angrily at the glass.  
  
He had been in love with Mara since the first time he had seen her on Yavin. He had approached he several times over the years, yet she had ignored him in favor of Master Skywalker. Nine years, failing time after time to win her affections, he finally found the key. He turned from the path of the Jedi, seeking the power he craved. He found a man who was willing to teach him how to achieve that power. Master Dark promised that he would have Mara, that no one would ever know his little secret. He chuckled softly at the thought. He would finally be the one in power.  
  
He yawned groggily, watching the rain pour down the window, obscuring the crystalline buildings around the Presidential Palace.   
  
"I could get use to all this pampering," he thought as sleep finally claimed him. "Luke had it good."  
  
Master Dark waited. He was a patient individual. He knew that Skywalker would be by soon, he could feel him. Skywalker was out in the city somewhere. His spy was already in place. No doubt he was taking full advantage of his new look on that pretty red-headed Jedi, Mara Jade. He had something special planned for her. She, too, would not be a problem for much longer. Yes, she would not cause him any problems. Everything was in place. His spy would have his way with her, if he so chose. Then when they were happy and settled, she would be the first casualty in his war against the Jedi.  
  
He relished the thought of her pain. Too bad that her life had to end so abruptly. She was a worthy foe. As was Skywalker. His eyes narrowed at the thought of Vader's son coming into his possession. Yes, he would make a tasty addition to his collection. Soon, very soon, Skywalker would belong to him. The idea of breaking him made Master Dark shiver with anticipation.   
  
He watched as the seedier sections of the city closed their doors against the coming day. He got a twisted pleasure out of watching these beings grovel and beg for the wares of a prostitute, even in the pouring rain. Some were so drunk or high on Glitterstem that they would do and did almost anything to satisfy their lust. Not that he didn't as well, but he was generally in control of the situation.  
  
"Skywalker might prove to be a very satisfying toy." He licked his lips hungrily at the thought.  
  
Sometime just before dawn, thunder rumbled high above the tower. Sleepily, Luke opened his eyes. Jediah lay next to him, shivering, curled into the warmth of his body. He stretched out his hand and her ebony cloak sailed into it. He himself wasn't cold but he wrapped it around her tiny form. She had always been more susceptible to cooler air than he was. He looked around. The tiny FireFox dagger still lay where he dropped it, it's jewels still burning the same crimson/gold as Jediah's eyes. Beside it, a glossy dark puddle filled a depression in the floor, a pool of his own blood. They still lay inside the silver rune circle carved into the floor. It still glowed a faint white-gold.   
  
Jediah whimpered quietly as thunder clapped loudly overhead. He knew she was dreaming, but he held her close nonetheless. Something was going to happen, soon. And it wasn't going to be good. Jediah's dreams often disturbed her sleep when she had a premonition about something bad. Most of the time it involved him in some way. Unfortunately, many of these premonitions were terribly vague, but over fifteen years he had learned to trust her instincts.   
  
His arm ached. As he flexed the muscles in his arm, Jediah cried out.  
  
"No!" She moaned softly in her sleep. "You can't!"  
  
"Jediah." He shook her gently. "I'Die wake up. It's only a dream."  
  
Jediah's eyes snapped open. "Gods above!" She breathed.  
  
She buried her snowy head against his bare chest.  
  
"It's all right, I'Die. Hush, now. I'm right here."  
  
She clung to him, as he kissed her tenderly. Her face was wet with tears. Her slender body shook with silent sobs.  
  
"What is it?" He asked gently, "What did you see."  
  
"A face. It said something but I couldn't hear over the screaming." Her voice broke, "I'm afraid for your life."  
  
Luke smiled reassuring at her, wiping away her tears. "I will never leave you." He pulled her close, "I promise, Ch'Karah."  
  
He kissed her again to reassure her, a reassurance he wasn't too sure he himself   
  
felt. All he knew, was that they had ensured that she would be able to find and identify him if the need arose.  
  
Rain and wind whipped around the tower arches. Lightning lit up the leaden sky as Luke pulled her closer to him and held her tightly. He sighed heavily. All too soon he would have to leave her and return to the palace. He really didn't want to think about that now. He didn't want to face Mara and her wrath in a few short hours. He really wanted to stay holed up here for a few days with his wife. But he knew that his commitment to duty and sense of honor would keep him from doing exactly that. There were worse things than paying court to Mara. The spice mines on Kessel, for instance, or being sucked into the Maw. Even being eaten alive by the Sarlacc still wasn't an inviting prospect. He would definitely rather take his chances with Mara. 


End file.
